New York Times Editorial: Secretary Clinton Goes to India

New York Times Editorial: Secretary Clinton Goes to India
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: July 17, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/opinion/18sat1.html?_r=1&ref=global


The Bush administration and Congress rewrote American and international rules to allow India — a longtime nuclear scofflaw — to buy fuel and technology for its civilian nuclear program. It was supposed to be the start of a beautiful new friendship. So we are eager to see what happens when Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits India over the next few days.

The two democracies can do a lot to deepen their relationship, including negotiating an investment treaty. India is expected to use the visit to announce plans to construct as many as 10 new nuclear power plants that will be open to bidding by American companies.

But it is time for India to take more responsibility internationally. It needs to do more to revive the world trade talks it helped torpedo last year and — as a major contributor to global warming — to join the developed countries in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. And it needs to do a lot more to constrain its arms race with Pakistan and global proliferation.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his party have a strong mandate after the May elections. And the country has weathered the global recession better than most. That means that it has no excuses not to do more.

The primary focus must be Pakistan. We are encouraged that India and Pakistan have resumed their dialogue, interrupted after last fall’s attacks in Mumbai by Pakistani-based extremists. New Delhi exercised welcome restraint when it did not retaliate. But tensions remain high. Mrs. Clinton needs to assure India that Washington will keep pressing Pakistan to prosecute suspects linked to the Mumbai attacks and to shut down the Lashkar-e-Taiba group of extremists once and for all.

India also needs to help allay Pakistan’s fears. If resolving tensions over Kashmir — their biggest flashpoint — is not possible while Pakistan is battling the Taliban, then talks on water and environmental issues may be an interim way to seek common ground.

One of our many concerns about the nuclear deal was that it would make it easier for India to expand its arsenal — and drive Pakistan to produce more of its own weapons. With access to global fuel markets, India can use its limited domestic uranium stocks for weapons. President Obama and Secretary Clinton both endorsed the deal. Now they have a responsibility to do what President George W. Bush never did: push India to stop producing more weapons fuel rather than waiting for a multinational treaty to be negotiated. That would make it easier to press Pakistan to do the same. Both India and Pakistan claim that they want only a “minimal credible” nuclear deterrent — but who knows what that means?

President Obama’s efforts to revive arms control talks with Russia and his commitment to seek ratification of the test ban treaty mean that Mrs. Clinton arrives with bolstered credibility. She should urge India to consider opening regional arms talks with Pakistan and China and drop its opposition to the test ban treaty.

During the negotiations on the nuclear deal, the Bush administration managed to persuade New Delhi to grudgingly support United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programs. India now needs to do more.

The world’s wealthy nations have given Iran until late September to accept restraints on its nuclear program or face consequences. We hope this time India’s arm will not have to be twisted and — if needed — it will use its trade clout to curb Iran’s ambitions.

India wants to be seen as a major world power. For that to happen, it will have to drop its pretensions to nonalignment and stake out strong and constructive positions. President Obama and Mrs. Clinton say they consider India a vital partner in building a stable world. Now they have to encourage India to behave like one.